Research Question: How do politics and the President play into education? Author: Kelley Carpenter
Department Of Education
The Department of Education as we know it now was created by Congress in 1979, though the Departments origins and beginnings date back to 1867 under President Andrew Johnson. Its original purpose, in 1867, was to collect information on schools and teaching to help states better their school programs. Its main purpose now is to hold federal government accountable for making sure every child has the same educational opportunity, help the states, parents, students, and related organizations with funding and other forms of support such as consultation, research, promote and investigate possible improvements in how the U.S. educates its children, and to mediate all things related to education.
How does federal fit in?
In the United States, responsibility for schools and educational policy rests mainly on the states and local governments. About only 10.8% of the funding for schools comes from the federal level. The money is also often targeted to schools that are in trouble and it has widely been regarded as a sort of emergency response system as of late, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s website. The department of education has the third largest budget (behind the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services) but has the smallest staff, comparing the 15 Cabinet agencies.
Candidates on Education 2012 election:
Willard “Mitt” Romney
Romney’s education policies have been widely criticized for ignoring the importance of early education, for slashing education funding in Massachusetts as governor, and damaging the Department of Education’s commitment to equal education by adopting the idea that everyone should get the best education they can afford. His cuts to education funding in Massachusetts have led to the surprise of many education experts when he reportedly said “I am not going to cut education funding. I have no plan to cut education funding.” Other educators support his ideas, asserting that his voucher program for private schools would encourage public schools to become better in order to not lose students, and would provide students with choice. Romney’s voucher system would provide students with the option of attending public school or taking a voucher so the government would put a certain amount of money towards their private school tuition. Others further argue that lower-income level kids are growing up in families that abuse the system, with phones and new gadgets, expensive clothing, and more while welfare pays for their food and housing. They believe that Romney’s plan could fix this.
Barack Obama
Under Obama, the United States has enacted the Race to the Top Program and modified Bush’s policy No Child Left Behind (for more information on these programs, please see other links on the group page). He has increased funding for education and argued that vouchers will not help fix the public school system and are not the answer. Obama has also supported a jobs program so that schools will have the funding to hire or rehire more educators, especially in the math and science fields. Other goals include making college more affordable for students, and he has signed legislation to double the funding of Pell Grants. Obama has also provided incentives for schools to keep their tuition down.
Jill Stein
Jill Stein, the third party candidate for the Green Party, took Obama’s view on education a step forward and asserted that all education from kindergarten through college should be free. She also vowed to end high-stakes testing which derived from NCLB, forgive existing student debt, and abolish ideas of merit pay, arguing that it punishes teachers.
Since President Barack Obama was reelected and Bush held two terms in office before him, we are going to be focusing on the past and potential future effects of their education policy. To see Bush’s No Child Left Behind and its affects, please go here. To compare NCLB and learn about RTTT, please click here.
Gary Johnson
Gary Johnson, another third party candidate for the Libertarian party, supported an even more radical measure—he planned to get rid of the Department of Education. He argues that federal control is putting a damper on education, and that local control should be established. He thinks that schools would fare better under local control, where those who live there can decide how to spend budget money and how their children best learn. He also is a strong supporter of school choice, and argues local control can help better schools by holding them accountable.
Moving from NCLB to RTTT and beyond: Obama’s goals
Obama seeks to replace Bush’s goal of all students being proficient in math and reading by 2014 with his own goal of having all high-school graduates college and/or career ready by 2020. His blueprint for education supports the movement for state’s governors and education chiefs to construct and enact a common curriculum and statewide standards for English language arts and math. His goal appears to be putting less of an emphasis on test scores by assessing schools in a broader manner, like looking at high school graduation rates. Obama seems to be less concerned with rating every school and more concerned with focusing on bettering the worst-performing schools. His administration has supported strict “restructuring” of schools, solutions ranging from new management of the schools, to firing the principal, to firing half the staff, or even closing the entire school.
Maybe This Isn’t a Good Idea…
Diane Ravitch, a well-known education historian at New York University, has criticized this approach in “Bridging Differences”, saying that Obama’s educational policy is still “firmly rooted in NCLB’s philosophy of measure and punish.” Ravitch argues further that the system is bullying schools, putting schools that perform well on the “failing list”, overemphasizing basic skills, and setting unrealistic goals for schools. She argues that with their goals, there may be more testing than before in order to reward teacher growth. Finally, she asserts that the methods for “fixing” schools are draconian and will be unhelpful—proving to be a mistake five years down the road. She worries that the new policies of the Obama administration will be “just as toxic” as NCLB.
This is a Definite Improvement
Michael J. Petrilli, the Vice President of National Programs and Policy at Thomas B. Fordham Institute, holds a more positive view. He argues that schools will have more flexibility to help their brightest students as well as their struggling students, and that many federal regulations would be gone, replaced by transparency as to how the students are doing, making them accountable to the community as a whole.
The Problem with Federal Education Policies
Rick Santorum, who campaigned for the seat as Republican candidate this past year, was very outspoken in saying that public schools were “factories” and that federal and even state control of schools was “anachronistic”. In other words, Santorum, who homeschooled his children, asserts that the idea of public schools under federal or state control is outdated and no longer relevant or the best policy.
Experts have indicated that any federal policy has the fundamental problem of being unable to apply on a wide scale. Educators have argued that you cannot get low-income, behind students to the same place high-income students who are ahead will be in the next year. In response, federal programs have allowed different standards for certain groups or locations. But this undermines the idea of equal education and opportunity for all. As Beth Glenn, education director at the N.A.A.C.P. says, “Ultimately, fiddling around with the finish line or different heights of the hurdles is not how you get all students to succeed. You have to change what you do in the classroom.”
But what works in the classroom?
Include an APA citation, a summary, and a reaction for each article. DELETE THESE INSTRUCTIONS WHEN DONE
Overall Reaction to Your Research
Well, I certainly wasn't surprised to find that federal policy and programs are highly complicated, and can be fantastic in theory and horrible in practice. It was interesting to learn about different opinions on how education should be run and how that education system should be achieved and maintained.
Relevance in Rhode Island Schools
Obama's Race to the Top program awarded fund money to the state of Rhode Island after the second round of applications. Bush's previous NCLB program prompted Rhode Island to apply for and be granted a waiver for the program.
Relevance to Charter Schools
Obama's Race to the Top program advocates and supports Charter schools (many schools that do not meet standards are closed and converted to Charter Schools, and RTTT has been known to expand charter schools). The RTTT program encourages charter schools in the states.
References
Education and School Choice N.d. Gary Johnson 2012. http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/issues/education, accessed November 18, 2012. This webpage outlines Gary Johnson's policies on education.
Federal Role in Education http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html?src=ln, accessed November 18, 2012. This government sponsored site outlines what the federal governments goals and duties are in terms of education.
Revising No Child Left Behind N.d.CQ Researcher by CQ Press. http://0-library.cqpress.com.helin.uri.edu/cqresearcher/cqresrre2010041600, accessed November 16, 2012 This scholarly work details the plans for Obama to overhaul NCLB with RTTT and discusses the pros, cons, and differences in the policies.
Where We Stand on the Issues N.d. Jill Stein for President. http://www.jillstein.org/issues, accessed November 18, 2012. This webpage detailed Jill Steins hopes for revamping education and getting rid of college costs as part of her plan for education.
Author: Kelley Carpenter
Department Of Education
The Department of Education as we know it now was created by Congress in 1979, though the Departments origins and beginnings date back to 1867 under President Andrew Johnson. Its original purpose, in 1867, was to collect information on schools and teaching to help states better their school programs. Its main purpose now is to hold federal government accountable for making sure every child has the same educational opportunity, help the states, parents, students, and related organizations with funding and other forms of support such as consultation, research, promote and investigate possible improvements in how the U.S. educates its children, and to mediate all things related to education.
How does federal fit in?
In the United States, responsibility for schools and educational policy rests mainly on the states and local governments. About only 10.8% of the funding for schools comes from the federal level. The money is also often targeted to schools that are in trouble and it has widely been regarded as a sort of emergency response system as of late, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s website. The department of education has the third largest budget (behind the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services) but has the smallest staff, comparing the 15 Cabinet agencies.
Candidates on Education 2012 election:
Willard “Mitt” Romney
Romney’s education policies have been widely criticized for ignoring the importance of early education, for slashing education funding in Massachusetts as governor, and damaging the Department of Education’s commitment to equal education by adopting the idea that everyone should get the best education they can afford. His cuts to education funding in Massachusetts have led to the surprise of many education experts when he reportedly said “I am not going to cut education funding. I have no plan to cut education funding.” Other educators support his ideas, asserting that his voucher program for private schools would encourage public schools to become better in order to not lose students, and would provide students with choice. Romney’s voucher system would provide students with the option of attending public school or taking a voucher so the government would put a certain amount of money towards their private school tuition. Others further argue that lower-income level kids are growing up in families that abuse the system, with phones and new gadgets, expensive clothing, and more while welfare pays for their food and housing. They believe that Romney’s plan could fix this.
Barack Obama
Under Obama, the United States has enacted the Race to the Top Program and modified Bush’s policy No Child Left Behind (for more information on these programs, please see other links on the group page). He has increased funding for education and argued that vouchers will not help fix the public school system and are not the answer. Obama has also supported a jobs program so that schools will have the funding to hire or rehire more educators, especially in the math and science fields. Other goals include making college more affordable for students, and he has signed legislation to double the funding of Pell Grants. Obama has also provided incentives for schools to keep their tuition down.
Jill Stein
Jill Stein, the third party candidate for the Green Party, took Obama’s view on education a step forward and asserted that all education from kindergarten through college should be free. She also vowed to end high-stakes testing which derived from NCLB, forgive existing student debt, and abolish ideas of merit pay, arguing that it punishes teachers.
Since President Barack Obama was reelected and Bush held two terms in office before him, we are going to be focusing on the past and potential future effects of their education policy. To see Bush’s No Child Left Behind and its affects, please go here. To compare NCLB and learn about RTTT, please click here.
Gary Johnson
Gary Johnson, another third party candidate for the Libertarian party, supported an even more radical measure—he planned to get rid of the Department of Education. He argues that federal control is putting a damper on education, and that local control should be established. He thinks that schools would fare better under local control, where those who live there can decide how to spend budget money and how their children best learn. He also is a strong supporter of school choice, and argues local control can help better schools by holding them accountable.
Moving from NCLB to RTTT and beyond: Obama’s goals
Obama seeks to replace Bush’s goal of all students being proficient in math and reading by 2014 with his own goal of having all high-school graduates college and/or career ready by 2020. His blueprint for education supports the movement for state’s governors and education chiefs to construct and enact a common curriculum and statewide standards for English language arts and math. His goal appears to be putting less of an emphasis on test scores by assessing schools in a broader manner, like looking at high school graduation rates. Obama seems to be less concerned with rating every school and more concerned with focusing on bettering the worst-performing schools. His administration has supported strict “restructuring” of schools, solutions ranging from new management of the schools, to firing the principal, to firing half the staff, or even closing the entire school.
Maybe This Isn’t a Good Idea…
Diane Ravitch, a well-known education historian at New York University, has criticized this approach in “Bridging Differences”, saying that Obama’s educational policy is still “firmly rooted in NCLB’s philosophy of measure and punish.” Ravitch argues further that the system is bullying schools, putting schools that perform well on the “failing list”, overemphasizing basic skills, and setting unrealistic goals for schools. She argues that with their goals, there may be more testing than before in order to reward teacher growth. Finally, she asserts that the methods for “fixing” schools are draconian and will be unhelpful—proving to be a mistake five years down the road. She worries that the new policies of the Obama administration will be “just as toxic” as NCLB.
This is a Definite Improvement
Michael J. Petrilli, the Vice President of National Programs and Policy at Thomas B. Fordham Institute, holds a more positive view. He argues that schools will have more flexibility to help their brightest students as well as their struggling students, and that many federal regulations would be gone, replaced by transparency as to how the students are doing, making them accountable to the community as a whole.
The Problem with Federal Education Policies
Rick Santorum, who campaigned for the seat as Republican candidate this past year, was very outspoken in saying that public schools were “factories” and that federal and even state control of schools was “anachronistic”. In other words, Santorum, who homeschooled his children, asserts that the idea of public schools under federal or state control is outdated and no longer relevant or the best policy.
Experts have indicated that any federal policy has the fundamental problem of being unable to apply on a wide scale. Educators have argued that you cannot get low-income, behind students to the same place high-income students who are ahead will be in the next year. In response, federal programs have allowed different standards for certain groups or locations. But this undermines the idea of equal education and opportunity for all. As Beth Glenn, education director at the N.A.A.C.P. says, “Ultimately, fiddling around with the finish line or different heights of the hurdles is not how you get all students to succeed. You have to change what you do in the classroom.”
But what works in the classroom?
Include an APA citation, a summary, and a reaction for each article. DELETE THESE INSTRUCTIONS WHEN DONE
Overall Reaction to Your Research
Well, I certainly wasn't surprised to find that federal policy and programs are highly complicated, and can be fantastic in theory and horrible in practice. It was interesting to learn about different opinions on how education should be run and how that education system should be achieved and maintained.Relevance in Rhode Island Schools
Obama's Race to the Top program awarded fund money to the state of Rhode Island after the second round of applications. Bush's previous NCLB program prompted Rhode Island to apply for and be granted a waiver for the program.Relevance to Charter Schools
Obama's Race to the Top program advocates and supports Charter schools (many schools that do not meet standards are closed and converted to Charter Schools, and RTTT has been known to expand charter schools). The RTTT program encourages charter schools in the states.References
Education and School Choice N.d. Gary Johnson 2012. http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/issues/education, accessed November 18, 2012.
This webpage outlines Gary Johnson's policies on education.
Federal Role in Education http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html?src=ln, accessed November 18, 2012.
This government sponsored site outlines what the federal governments goals and duties are in terms of education.
Jr, Richard A. Oppel 2012 Santorum Criticizes Education System and Obama. The New York Times, February 18. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/us/politics/santorum-criticizes-education-system-and-obama.html, accessed November 18, 2012.
This article explains Santorum's opinion on public schools.
Obama to Focus on Education in Campaign Swing Through Ohio and Nevada N.d. The Caucus. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/obama-to-focus-on-education-in-campaign-swing-through-ohio-and-nevada/, accessed November 18, 2012.
This articles talks about how Obama focused on education in his campaign in Ohio and Nevada, and outlines what he has done in terms of American education policy thus far.
Revising No Child Left Behind N.d.CQ Researcher by CQ Press. http://0-library.cqpress.com.helin.uri.edu/cqresearcher/cqresrre2010041600, accessed November 16, 2012
This scholarly work details the plans for Obama to overhaul NCLB with RTTT and discusses the pros, cons, and differences in the policies.
Rich, Motoko 2012a Obama Education Policy Draws Some Skeptics. The New York Times, October 5. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/06/education/obama-education-policy-draws-some-skeptics.html, accessed November 18, 2012.
This article brought up some interesting points about how RTTT might affect school's goals and achievements.
Where We Stand on the Issues N.d. Jill Stein for President. http://www.jillstein.org/issues, accessed November 18, 2012.
This webpage detailed Jill Steins hopes for revamping education and getting rid of college costs as part of her plan for education.